Game 32: Thunderbirds cool off Chiefs in Spokane
Dec 15, 2010, 10:19 PM | Updated: Apr 6, 2011, 11:23 am
(14-11-3-4) Seattle Thunderbirds 5, (18-9-3-2)Spokane Chiefs 4 (OT)
Gallimore with a hat trick…Toomey with the OT winner
SPOKANE– The Thunderbirds rally back from an early 3-0 deficit to defeat the Chiefs in overtime.
Right off the bat Mitch Elliot and Darren Kramer dropped the gloves with Elliot landing several hard punches as Kramer fell to the ice.
At 6:54 Brenden Dillon was called for Roughing to give the Chiefs the first power play of the game. Spokane scored to take a 1-0 lead at the 8:07 mark. Brenden Kichton netted his seventh goal of the season.
The Chiefs went up 2-0 when Mitch Holmberg (8) slapped one past Calvin Pickard (14-9-2-4) at 12:37.
Elliot went to the box for Slashing at 14:31 and Spokane went on the power play. They did not convert.
After 20 minutes the Birds were down 2-0 and were out shot 13-7. Yet another poor beginning for the Birds in what is becoming a depressing pattern. The main issues were defensive breakdowns and just flat out missing on good scoring chances.
The Birds got their first power play opportunity at the 2:10 mark of the second period when Blake Gal was called for Interference. They could not convert and had no shots on net.
The Chiefs went up 3-0 at 6:02 when Dominik Uher scored his sixth goal of the season.
The teams would skate four on four at the 6:49 mark. Collin Valcourt slammed into Pickard and was called for Goaltender Interference while Travis Toomey got a Roughing minor for coming to Pickard’s defense.
At 8:04 the Thunderbirds got a power play chance when Brenden Kichton was called for Checking from Behind. They took advantage as Burke Gallimore (15) knocked one past James Reid (18-7-2-1) at 8:21. The assist went to Marcel Noebels. It was a four on three goal and the Chiefs lead was cut to 3-1.
The Birds got to within one goal at 3-2 when Brendan Rouse (5) put one in just inside the left post at 15:46. The assists were from Toomey and Erik Bonsor.
The Birds were down 3-2 after two periods, coming back from down 3-0 to make it a one goal game. There were some big saves late in the period by Pickard to keep the score at 3-2.
Shots in the second period were 12-12 and after 40 minutes the Chiefs had the edge at 25-19.
The Birds went on the power play at 4:16 of the third period. Reid Gow was called for High Sticking. Seattle tied the game 3-3 when Gallimore (16) knocked in his second goal of the night, it was assisted by Luke Lockhart. Time of the goal was 4:27.
It didn’t take long for the Chiefs to retake the lead at 4-3. Kichton (8)scored his second goal of the game at 7:14 as nobody picked him up and he was able to slap one past Pickard.
It looked as though Chance Lund had scored his first goal of the season just seconds after the Chiefs scored, but the goal was waved off because the net came off the moorings. It looked as though Spokane goalie Reid knocked it off on his own as the puck went in the net but Referee Devin Klein decided not to review the play.
Gallimore (17) gets the hat trick as he ties the game 4-4 on an assist from Lund at 11:34.
The Birds went on their fourth power play at the 14:57 mark. Davis Vandane was called for Holding. The Birds could not convert and they were 2 for 4 on the power play.
The game would go to overtime tied 4-4. Shots in the third period were 15-14 in favor of the Birds and 39-34 Spokane after 60 minutes.
Toomey (5) scores to give the Birds a 5-4 win and snap their three game losing streak. It’s also their first overtime victory (1-3). Assists on the goal were from Gallimore and Travis Bobbee. The goal was scored at 4:16 of OT. It was the Birds only shot of overtime. They were out shot 4-1 in the period and 43-35 overall.
The Birds come back from a 3-0 and 4-3 deficits to win the game. To say it’s a big win is a huge understatement. Gallimore, Lund, and Toomey were the leaders tonight. Gallimore of course with the hat trick. Let’s not forget Pickard who seems to never give up that big goal late in the game. He makes the big saves when he needs to. He also just flew from Toronto to Seattle and then to Spokane to start in net.
Seattle used their power play to get back into the game, going 2 for 4 against a team with a superb penalty kill. Once again they get down big in a road game and come all the way back to win. They need to start playing with this kind of heart at home especially with the home heavy schedule they have in the second half of the season.
The Birds are also allowing way too many good scoring chances and therefore goals and they need to find a way to plug those defense holes.
For tonight though a very big come from behind win.
The Thunderbirds will play the final game of the first half of the season on Saturday night at the ShoWare Center against the Portland Winterhawks. Game time is 7 pm and it can be heard live at MyNorthwest.com.
Game Notes:
– Seattle improves to 10-5-2-2 on the road. They only won eight games on the road all of last season.
– G Calvin Pickard was sent home earlier today by Team Canada, returning to the Thunderbirds.
– Tonight was the Birds 14th overtime game of the season. They are 1-3 in OT and 6-4 in the shootout.
-Seattle was 2 for 4 on the power play, Spokane was 1 for 2.
Game Summary:
1st Period-1, Spokane, Kichton 7 (Holmberg, Johnson), 8:07 (PP). 2, Spokane, Holmberg 8 (Kramer, Reid), 12:37. Penalties-Elliot Sea (major-fighting), 0:22; Kramer Spo (major-fighting), 0:22; Dillon Sea (roughing), 6:54; Elliot Sea (slashing), 14:31.
2nd Period-3, Spokane, Uher 6 (Baldwin, Johnson), 6:02. 4, Seattle, Gallimore 15 (Noebels), 8:21 (PP). 5, Seattle, Rouse 5 (Toomey, Bonsor), 15:46. Penalties-Gal Spo (interference), 2:10; Toomey Sea (roughing), 6:49; Valcourt Spo (inter. on goaltender), 6:49; Kichton Spo (checking from behind), 8:04.
3rd Period-6, Seattle, Gallimore 16 (Lockhart), 4:27 (PP). 7, Spokane, Kichton 8 (Holmberg), 7:14. 8, Seattle, Gallimore 17 (Lund), 11:34. Penalties-Gow Spo (high sticking), 4:16; Vandane Spo (holding), 14:57.
OT Period-9, Seattle, Toomey 5 (Gallimore, Bobbee), 4:16. Penalties-No Penalties
Shots on Goal-Seattle 7-12-15-1-35. Spokane 13-12-14-5-44.
Power Play Opportunities-Seattle 2 / 4; Spokane 1 / 2.
Goalies-Seattle, Pickard 13-9-2-4 (44 shots-40 saves). Spokane, Reid 18-7-1-1 (35 shots-30 saves).
A-4,026
Referees-Devin Klein (90).
Linesmen-Jeremi Del Campo (44), Anthony Guzzo (135).
